Good Photos

LeoEden

Novice

Posts: 32

Loc: Cumbria

3+ Months Ago

I have been reading this forum, and can see that many of you are keen photographers.

I was wondering what professional photographers look for in a good photo? (I am entering a competition and it will be judged by a professional photographer, just wondering what he will look for in the pic)

CXLink

Expert

Posts: 685

Loc: ATL-GA

3+ Months Ago

well since no one else has taken a stab i will. composition (what is the content inside the frame), lighting (how the objects are lit and whether or not that lighting is complimentary to the objects, the lighting also has to fit in with the theme of the piece), subject (choosing something that is interesting to look at), camera settings (know how to set your apiture, shutter speed and focus), and media ( if you have a sucky digital or dont know how to use one effectivley stick with film).

hope that helped

link

ScienceOfSpock

Mastermind

Posts: 1893

Loc: Las Vegas

3+ Months Ago

CX hit the nail on the head.
Composition and lighting are the keys, I think. How the subjects are laid out in the scene is crucial.

Lighting plays a vital role, in my opinion. It all depends on your intention. Different lighting evokes different emotions, and the same composition and subjects can be manipulated to evoke different emotions depending on your intent.
For example, a picture of a tree in spring, with the morning sun lighting it can evoke lots of happy emotions, and an impression of Life blossoming, beginning.
The same tree, shot in late fall, with the afternoon light growing dimmer can evoke impressions of death or an ending of some sort.

Combinations of lighting and time can be used to confound the observer.

Camera settings matter as well. Focusing on a bug on a sidewalk, while keeping the Street traffic behind him blurred can give the impression that life goes on, no matter what we do. Or convey a simple message like "Don't give up"

In the end, art is art. It's only partly about what the artist intended, and mostly about what the viewer experiences.

mtg131g

Graduate

Posts: 238

3+ Months Ago

Spock and Link are both right and then what I sometimes like to do is to modify the picture and give it a different look by using Photoshop or some other editing program. You can take a color picture and make it look completely different by just turning it into a black and white. Then you can give it a different look by adding in just some color to certain things in the B&W.

Another thing is the colors in which the picture has in it can evoke a simple response that of fear, hate, love, sensuality, and sadness. I think that you want to try and think of the tone that you want toe set with the picture as to what colors that you want to have in it.